All I Ever Wanted-Alt
by Kira'sGuardian
Summary: A darker, longer variation of my short drabble 'All I Ever Wanted'. When Levy is betrayed by a certain Iron mage, reduced to a former shell of herself, and left to die, can she save herself from undergoing the same circumstances again, three years later? Can her old feelings resurface and save her, or will she be lost forever, a victim of horrible tragedy? Minor Loki/Levy..
1. Chapter 1

**_"_****_The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies." –Horus Fe-Nix_**

"I didn't want to kill them. They were my friends, once. They were just in my way; I couldn't complete my mission."  
And he lunged.

The sword buried itself in her stomach and she went down like a rock. He yanked the deadly weapon out of her body and it reshaped into his arm, bathed in her blood. His face showed no emotion as he turned away and disappeared into the shadows.

Her body screamed at her to cry, to beg, to do anything, to call for help, but her heart was fighting to keep her alive.

She struggled to stay awake; losing consciousness meant certain death in her case. She could feel the blood seeping into her dress, pooling under her head.

It was hot. Her back was burning, the hole where the sword had come clear through her on the scarred, burnt, filthy ground.

It burned. She screamed in pain.

Footsteps.

She heard them, quick and light.

And someone breathing. Harshly, as if running.

Then a thud, right beside her. Cool night air blew over her and warm hands brushed her face. "Shit. Levy, _Levy_!"

Natsu. Another voice behind him.

_"__Shit!_ He did it!" Gray. Natsu's hands were working at her chest, he was wrapping a bandage around her, trying to stop the bleeding. She gasped, coughing up blood. Cold hands touched her back, easing the pain. She breathed a bit easier.  
"It went straight through her. She's lucky; it just missed her spine, looks like."

Fool. It had missed her heart. Her spine wasn't where the pain was coming from. It was her heart that was broken. He'd betrayed her, betrayed them, betrayed the guild. But she couldn't find it in her heart to be angry. She was just scared. Scared to die, scared to live.

She felt arms under her and she was moving, being carried. Natsu was running, carrying her away from there. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the night; frogs croaking, the wind blowing, the distant sound of laughter, and somewhere, footsteps running away from her. Natsu was yelling, telling Gray something.  
"He's after Fairy Tail members! Get Juvia out of here, now!" Faintly she heard Gray acquiesce, and Natsu stopped running. The air around her was warm now, and smelled of herbs. She felt soft fabric under her legs and figured that Natsu set her down. Someone was sliding her dress up and over her body, and something was dug into her flesh. She screamed in pain and writhed, trying to get away.  
"Hold her down, Natsu-san! I won't be able to heal her without trying to close the wound first!" Strong arms wrapped around her and she fought back, weakly pounding her fists against someone. Her front was pressed against hard muscles and her arms were squished to his chest. Natsu's heartbeat was pounding against her hand and it calmed her down. Faintly she heard Lucy's voice, soothing, but the pain of something digging in and out of her back was driving her crazy.  
She screamed and fought, but Natsu held her firmly against him and calming fingers stroked her hair while someone stitched her lower back closed. Finally it was done, and a bandage and healing balm was applied to her back. Natsu released her and she started to cry, her emotions running haywire. Faintly, she heard Lucy tell Natsu to leave and tend to the kids, but it didn't register until a gentle embrace enveloped her in warmth. Lucy told Virgo to fetch some warm water and rags and a set of clothes for Levy, and the maid spirit quickly carried out the order.  
Levy was barely conscious by the time Virgo finished treating her stab wound. She was swaying back and forth, her head spinning, and Lucy wrapped her arms around her friend. "Sleep, Levy. I'll wake you up tomorrow morning." Lucy whispered. Levy nodded dazedly and let Lucy help her lie down. Covers were drawn up over her shoulder and the light was turned out. "Virgo, sit with her as long as you can."  
"Yes, Princess Heartfilia."  
"Thank you."  
Lucy closed the door to the bedroom and sighed. Natsu looked up at her from his spot on the couch. Their two daughters were curled up on one side of him, two-year-old Morani clutching her stuffed dragon tightly while four-year-old Serekia clutched her father's arm. Lucy sat down gingerly beside him and sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead, rubbing her arm comfortingly. She laid a hand over her round belly and smiled at him. He smiled back.  
"Is she okay?"  
"She should be fine. Why is he doing this?"  
"I don't know. It was horrible, Lucy. He butchered Droy and stabbed Jet seven or eight times. She argued with him for a little bit, but then he got her too and left. She was almost unconscious when I got to her. Gray heard too and came running. He's after Fairy Tail, Lu." He whispered, laying his head over hers. "I think we should leave."  
"Leave the guild?"  
"For your safety, and for the kids'. I don't want to leave them orphaned." Lucy sighed, but agreed.  
"We should go somewhere else, then. Where the girls will be safe." Before he could reply, someone pounded on the door. Natsu disentangled himself from his sleeping daughters and went to open it. He found Gray and Juvia, with their six-year-old daughter Ultia, standing there. Or more like, Gray carrying Juvia on his back, clutching Ultia's hand.  
Natsu took one look at the water mage and stepped back. Gray came inside and Lucy stood, making her way over to them and greeting Ultia with a hug.

"He beat me to her," Gray choked out. Lucy gasped, tears flooding her cheeks. Natsu wrapped her in a hug, then motioned towards the sleeping girls. Lucy nodded and took Ultia's hand, roused the two younger girls, and took the three of them upstairs to bed. Once they were settled in, she returned downstairs. Gray was hunched over, seated on the couch. His head was in his hands and his shoulders were shaking visibly. Lucy hugged him tightly and let him cry on her shoulder. Natsu had taken Juvia's body outside and was building a pyre for her. When Gray composed himself, he went outside to help. Lucy went upstairs to check on the girls and found Ultia on the windowseat, watching her father and uncle. Lucy sat down beside her and Ultia sighed.  
"Mommy got an ouchie from the shadow man and fell asleep." The little girl whispered. Lucy sighed and nodded. "Is she gonna be okay?"  
"No, sweetie. Mommy isn't going to wake up."  
"Not ever and forever?"  
"No, honey. Not ever or forever." Ultia's eyes filled with tears and she curled into Lucy's arms. The celestial mage pulled the sobbing child closer and watched her husband and her dear friend build a fire for their beloved water mage.

She looked away when they laid the body on it and lit the pyre.

**So there's the first dark, dark chapter of the alt version! Tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

He was gasping. Water, so much water. He was drowning in it. Whenever he tried to come up for air, his head was forced under again. He was being murdered. By his own friend. The cool liquid slid down his throat, into his lungs. He gurgled, trying to get air. Faintly he heard the voice say, "I'm sorry." And he was gone. He gave up and his body stilled.

Laxus Dreyar was no more.

He shuddered, making his way out to the little house. His refuge. He was nearly there when it hit him again. The urge to kill, to find a Fairy and rip them open. "No, no, no, no…" He muttered, wrapping his arms around himself.  
Had he not killed enough already? The guild was at half-strength without Juvia, Laxus, and Mirajane. Levy was dead, as were Jet and Droy, Bixlow, Cana, Freed and Evergreen. Gildarts and Wendy and Charle and Pantherlily and Macao. Why must he kill more?

_Because,_ the voice hissed, _there are still more of them. More fairies that threaten to defeat us, to defeat you. You must catch them while they are not ready, while they cannot defend themselves. Use your skillssss…you know who is next. _He got a blast of cold air, a flashing memory of ice, then the clanging of swords and the taste of metal. Fullbuster was next. Then Erza.

"No, NO! Why, why do I have to kill them? They are my friends! Get out of my head!"

_SILENCE, boy. I own you now. You do as I say, or I will force you to kill them the same way you once did when in Phantom Lord._ The voice roared. He paled. Not that. Anything but that. He didn't want the pain, the cries and begging for mercy. He didn't want their blood staining his skin, his soul, clouding his judgment. That was why he left Phantom Lord to begin with. Images, memories of the bodies he'd ravaged, the blood he'd spilled, flashed through his mind. He screamed and cried and begged for mercy until it stopped. The voice whispered soothingly that these were the last two. After that, he would be left alone.  
Somewhere in his tortured mind, he was crying that this was wrong, this was what the voice said last time. He didn't listen. He was so intent on getting the voice out, on getting his sense of peace back that he turned around before he even made it to the door and slipped into the darkness, tracking the scent of Gray Fullbuster.

He grinned, and the scarlet in his mouth matched the scarlet on his hands. He looked forward to the upcoming battles.

Gray watched the fire burn down to embers, then sat down on the grass and cried. Natsu had gone inside hours ago, taking leave with a squeezing grip on his shoulder before going to Lucy. Gray understood. His friend-slash-rival was a father, an expecting parent. He had a family to think about, to protect, and Gray couldn't help but envy him. His wife was dead, murdered by the same man who had brought her to him in the first place. His daughter was in danger as long as she was around him, as were the Dragneels.  
He was staring at the dying embers, imagining what Juvia would say to him, when he heard the low, guttural snarl. He jumped up into the air as Gajeel shot under him, where he'd been sitting seconds before. The iron mage spun to face him and Gray recoiled. Gajeel's eyes were wild, dark red with fury. Blood covered him, from head to toe. His right arm was almost completely red with blood. It was still fresh. "You almost killed Levy." He growled, landing nimbly on his feet, facing the dark-haired dragon slayer.  
Gajeel cackled. "I did kill Levy." He snickered. Gray paled. Levy was dead. "YOU MONSTER!" He screamed, launching himself at the iron dragon slayer. Gajeel stepped out of the way and brought his fist down on Gray's back, sending him crashing into the ground. He felt the other's boot dig into his back and yelped in pain. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Natsu standing in the doorway and snarled. Lucy appeared behind him and Gray froze. He locked eyes with the fire mage and Natsu nodded. He grabbed Lucy's hand and pulled her away from the doorway. He heard Ultia scream and saw her face in the window. Gajeel heard her as well and his eyes shot up to the little girl. "Well, well, what have we here?" He cackled darkly. He leaned on his foot on Gray's back and snarled. "Is she yours, Fullbuster? Is she in Fairy Tail yet?" Gray shook his head fiercely. She was still too young. He wasn't going to let her go into the guild until she turned ten. Gajeel seemed to accept his answer and went back to pounding him into the ground.  
Gray looked up at his daughter one more time and saw that Lucy was there, her arm around Ultia's shoulders. He locked eyes with his friend, who smiled weakly. Ultia cried for him and he met her eyes. He smiled as widely as he could and blew her a kiss. She caught it in her unique little way and blew one back to him. Lucy pulled her away from the window and Gajeel laughed.  
Something cold and hard pressed against the back of his neck and Gray stilled. It was a sword. Liquid dripped from it onto his neck and he shivered. Blood. Whose was it this time? Levy's? Mirajane's? Elfman's or Cana's or even Makarov's? Gray didn't know. He closed his eyes and a tear dripped down his face. _I'm sorry, Ultia, _was his last thought before he thought no more.

He staggered down the streets; people ran away as soon as they heard him calling.  
"Erza! Erza, where are youuu?" He snickered. His voice was singsong, his blood pumping adrenaline through his veins. He heard the metallic clang of metal on metal and whipped around. There she was, flying at him with her Thunder Goddess armor. He shot a round of metal shards at her and was thrilled when she was blasted back with a cry. He laughed. She staggered upright, blood dripping from the multiple fresh lacerations and wounds in her flesh.  
He threw another round at her and a resounding _thunk_ reached him. He looked back and she had fallen. A metal shard was lodged halfway in her chest, in her heart. She was dying or already dead. For good measure-she had a habit of coming back from the dead-he stabbed her through the chest with his sword. Blood splattered across his face and he grinned. "I beat Erza, I beat Erza…" He sang, stumbling down the street. He walked back to his house and yelled at the voice, "I KILLED FULLBUSTER AND ERZA!" There was no reply. He repeated it, louder, but he still heard nothing in reply. He punched the wall. "HEY! Didn't you hear me?!"  
_ I heard you, boy. Good work. They will not be able to stop Phantom Lord now!  
_He paled. "You're working for Phantom Lord?"  
_Correction, boy. I _own_ Phantom Lord._ "I still own it, to this day." Master Jose's voice resonated behind him. Gajeel whipped around and found himself face-to-face with his old master. He scrambled backwards away from him and pressed his back to the wall. He shrank back as Jose slithered closer. The Phantom Lord master shot forward and grasped Gajeel's head in a vice-like grip, lifting him a good foot off the ground. "I've been waiting three years for this." He growled, tightening his grip. A burning sensation registered in Gajeel's head and he screamed in pain. Jose dropped him and he curled into a ball, clutching his head and howling in pain. He was alone. Sleep overtook him and he slept fitfully through the night.


	3. Chapter 3

He woke covered in blood. Someone else's blood. He scrubbed it off in a hot shower and walked outside. The sky was overcast and the wind was whipping across the land. He frowned. Looking around, he noticed a trail of dried blood that led directly to his door. He followed it into the woods and found a dead body. He circled it and recoiled. It was Gray. He had a gaping hole in his chest and his neck was bent at an odd angle. Gajeel felt bile rise in his throat and forced his instinct to puke out of his head. The wound was a stabbing hole, but the only type of sword big enough to do so much damage was-

"No…oh, God, no. Someone tell me I didn't do this." He whispered, running his hands through his hair. "I didn't do this, I didn't kill Gray." He staggered backwards and fell, clutching his head. Master Jose's voice resounded in his mind, telling him over and over that it was his fault, that he'd brought this on himself. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" He cried, curling into a ball. "GET AWAY, GET AWAY, STOP DOING THIS TO ME!" He was in tears, the pain in his head unbearable. He stared disbelievingly at the ice mage. Gray's lifeless eyes bored back into his very soul, and he knew that he'd done this to his friend. "I…I don't understand…Why did I kill him?"  
_You are the bane of Fairy Tail, Kurogane. The only thing they feared. Now, even mighty Erza Scarlet fears you, even in her afterlife._

"A-Afterlife? I killed Erza, too?"

_Yes._

"W-Who else did I kill?" Suddenly flashes of memories started arriving in his head. Laxus and Mirajane, Bixlow, Freed, Cana, Juvia-"No…No, I didn't kill them! How could I not remember?"  
_ Simple, really. A single spell can change lives forever. The one we cast on you was just a bit harder to break.  
_Erza, Gray, Alzack and Bisca, Macao, Jet, Droy, **Levy**-"NO! I DIDN'T KILL HER! SHE DIDN'T NEED TO DIE!"  
_Foolish boy. She was the strongest of them all. Her script abilities were limited, yes, but would she have gained the knowledge of the dark script, she would have been our greatest treasure or our greatest enemy.  
_"She…She was just a kid. She wasn't that much younger than I am, she was an innocent-"  
_FOOL! LEVY MCGARDEN WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE, AND THEREFORE NEEDED TO BE TERMINATED.  
_The voice paused and Gajeel felt like it was taking deep breaths.  
_Since she was a part of your team once, it was only fitting that you be the one to take her life.  
_"She…She was…"  
_She was also the reason you left Phantom Lord, the reason my guild fell. She was your life, once, correct? The girl you loved above any other, the only person who saw through your darkness and crushed it with her accursed light-  
_"She wasn't accursed. She was mine, and you tricked me into murdering her, you sick son of a bitch!" He snarled, tears streaming down his face. Jose laughed.  
_I didn't trick you, Kurogane. You killed her, under your own power and own will. I just helped you realize it._  
"You monster…" He hissed, "I didn't kill her. You…You forced me to do it, I don't know how, but I know you did."  
_Very smart, Kurogane. But you're wrong on one thing. You did kill her. I'll show you…  
_ The forest started to spin. Gajeel shut his eyes and suddenly heard Levy's voice. He could see her, through his eyes. She looked scared and afraid, Jet and Droy's bodies on either side of her. He remembered when she had crouched in front of them, defending them before he crucified them on the tree, back when he was still in Phantom Lord.  
_"You're pathetic."_ She snapped, a betrayed look on her face. He saw his arm come up, watched it change into the sword, watched it plunge into her body. The look on her face changed to shock. He yanked the sword out of her and blood sprayed across his vision. She gurgled, coughing up blood, and dropped to the ground. The sword reshaped to his arm, bathed in blood, and he turned away. Her breathing slowed, and he could barely hear it. He disappeared into the shadows and watched as Gray and Natsu ran to her. The ice mage checked for life in Jet and Droy while Natsu tended to Levy.  
"This…This isn't me," Gajeel whispered, "This is a monster…"  
_Ah, but you are Kurogane, remember? He is alive in you. He _is_ you, boy. He always has been, and he always will be.  
_ "I don't want this. I can't kill people, just for this. You don't have control over my life, over my body!" He cried, watching as he killed Laxus, Erza, and Makarov. Macao, Cana, Juvia. They were all dead now. _I may not control your body, but I control Kurogane. He is stronger than you, he doesn't listen to you. He listens to me._  
"Shut up."  
_Face it, boy. You've lost. You are no longer Gajeel Redfox. He no longer exists. You are Kurogane, the greatest warrior in Phantom Lord, and the greatest mage in all of Fiore!  
_ He stood. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he did kill those people. Maybe he was the murderer Levy had called him. He was a deadly warrior, not her pet dragon mage. He wasn't going to listen to a puny bookworm, or a little old man, or anyone.

He was a part of Phantom Lord, the strongest guild of all. His master was Jose Porla, the most powerful mage in all of Fiore. He was the willful servant to his master's wishes.

And yet, he wasn't. But that side didn't matter anymore. It was weak, it was a part of his past. His new life, as the warrior handpicked by Jose to rebuild Phantom Lord, began.

**Ohhh, I'm such a horrible person.**

**If I killed your favorite mage, I'm so very, very sorry. Don't hate me for it!**

**It will get better after this, I promise!**

**Now you get to see through Levy's eyes!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Three years later**

"Levy."  
"Wha-What?" She rubbed her eyes, the bright sunlight stinging them.  
"It's time to get up, silly! You wanted to get up and go to Magnolia today, remember?"  
"Right. I'm getting up."  
"Well, hurry up! Lucy's been up for hours! The girls have been waiting forever for you to get up, they want to go see Porlyusica!"  
"Alright, alright, Natsu. Go tell Lucy and the girls I'm up and I'll be down in a few minutes." The fire mage left the room and Levy sat up, brushing her hair away from her face. A tiny twinge of pain emanated from her stomach, where she'd been stabbed clean through by the man she'd once thought of as her hero. She lifted up her nightshirt and traced the scar that went from one side of her navel, over and across her bellybutton, to her waist. She still had nightmares about, even after three years. Pantherlily, who was snoozing at the foot of her bed, sat up and rubbed his eyes, yawning.  
She glanced across her bedroom to the mirror over her dresser and looked at her reflection. A small woman stared back, tired hazel eyes. The scars that stretched across her forehead and chin reminded her of the ones on _his_ forearm, and she quickly squashed the thought. She got up and got dressed, attempted to brush her hair-which ended quickly-and went downstairs, 'Lily perched on her shoulder. Immediately she was set upon by three little demons; Serekia, Morani, and little toddler Corin. Gray and Juvia's daughter Ultia followed at a little slower pace.  
Each girl gave Levy a good-morning kiss, while Corin-the only boy-settled for a huge hug.  
"Auntie Levy! Auntie Levy! Momma says we're gonna go to Magnolia! Are you coming with us?" five-year-old Morani squealed. Levy blinked at her and nodded.  
"Aunt Levy, are you hungry? Mom made pancakes for breakfast, with eggs and toast." At nine years old, Ultia was acting like a true helper.  
"Aunt Levy! When we go to Magnolia, what are we going to do? Mommy and Daddy won't tell us." Serekia gave her puppy eyes, and Levy laughed.  
"Aun Lev!" Corin burbled. Levy picked up the little boy and balanced him on her hip as she walked into the kitchen. Lucy was setting a platter of eggs down on the table while Natsu watched, perched on the counter in bare feet and shirtless. Levy laughed again and set the toddler down to say good morning. She hugged Lucy, then walked over to the cupboard to get a cup for her coffee. She turned and found Ultia holding the coffeepot out to her. She thanked the raven-haired child and poured her coffee.  
"Do you want ice, Aunt Levy?"  
"Just a little, Ultia." The shorter girl grinned and held out a hand. Levy lowered her cup and the little mage conjured an ice heart. She dropped it into the mug and Levy thanked her. "You're getting better at ice magic, Ultia. Just like your daddy." Levy praised. Ultia giggled. "How's your water magic coming? Is it any better than yesterday?"  
"Not really. I made it rain in the living room again."  
"Don't worry, you'll get better at it." Levy placed her mug on the counter to give Natsu a good-morning hug. He grinned widely at her and mussed her hair. She glared playfully at him and picked up her coffee again, walking over and seating herself at the table. Lucy sat down beside her after putting Corin in his high chair and helping Morani into her chair. While Ultia and Serekia talked about hair and nail polish over their pancakes, Corin and Morani ate much like their father, food flying across the table. Lucy dodged a bit of flying egg as she and Levy discussed their plans for the days ahead. The crew was going to be staying in Magnolia for the next four days, and while the children were excited to be visiting a new place to explore, their parents and Levy were a bit apprehensive. After breakfast was finished, Lucy summoned Virgo, who set about happily to clean the kitchen. Loki also appeared and entertained the children with little displays of light and magic. Aquarius-who had finally settled her score with Lucy-took Ultia outside to help her learn to harness her water power.  
The adults moved into the living room and sat down to talk.  
"I want to visit them."  
"Levy, it's been three years. We don't even know if they even live in Magnolia anymore."  
"Lucy, if she wants to see them, I think she should. If they aren't there, then we can find out where they live now so she can go and see them. I'm sure Romeo and Wendy would love to see her too."  
"But-"  
"Lucy, I'll be fine. Magnolia is home to me. It always has been and it always will be. I need to go back. And I want to visit the others."  
"Levy…"  
"Come on, Luce. It's not like I'm going there alone," Levy teased, "'Cuz I'll have a dragon mage there too! And I can defend myself, remember?" She leaned forward and ruffled Natsu's hair. He let her and grinned at Lucy.  
"She's gonna be fine, Lucy. I'll be there, and so will you. Heck, you can have Loki come along if it makes you feel better. She can protect herself, she can fight just as well as we can. So why are you so worried?"  
"I guess you're right. But what about _him_? He still lives in Magnolia. Phantom Lord took over as the presiding guild."  
"He still lives there?"  
"Yeah. He won't bother us, though. I heard he went crazy."  
"Doesn't matter. He's still dangerous, and he might still want to finish what he started."  
"Then I'll finish him."  
"Lucy, Natsu, calm down. I trust you both, not to mention Lucy's spirits, but it's Magnolia. Phantom Lord might be a dark guild, but they're not savages. They haven't done anything to the town or the people, otherwise we would've heard about it, right?" Both of her friends relaxed and nodded, and Levy's lips turned up into a frail smile. "Good. Then let's get ready to go! The kids have been asking me all morning to go, and we can't disappoint them, right?"  
"Yeah, let's go!"  
"Fine. I still have a bad feeling about this."

They left the living room and went into the family/playroom, where Loki and Pantherlily were playing hide-and-seek with the younger children. When she saw Levy, Morani squealed and ran to her, revealing her hiding place behind the couch. Before she reached her, however, Loki had swept the five-year-old up off her feet and proceeded to tickle her. Ultia came inside, followed shortly by Aquarius, who informed them of the young water mage's progress and returned to the celestial realm. Loki set the giggling, orange-haired Morani down and hugged both Levy and Lucy.  
"Well, well, miss Levy. Might I go so far as to say you look quite charming today." He was right, the others concluded.

Levy was wearing a short orange dress, with a white ribbon tied around her waist. Her hair was held back by an orange ribbon adorned with little white hibiscus flowers. She was wearing ankle-height heeled boots, which were tan. She was quite lovely. She blushed at the appraising looks she received and complained, "Why is everyone looking at me?" Morani giggled and tugged at her dress.  
"'cuz Auntie Levy looks real pretty."  
"Thank you, sweetie." Loki smirked at her and turned to Lucy.  
"So, Lucy? Are you ready to go?" The blonde replied with a nod and Loki followed her upstairs to get the couple suitcases they packed for the trip. Natsu helped the girls-and Colin-brush their hair and straighten their clothes before taking them outside. Levy followed, her bag already packed and waiting by the door. 'Lily sat down on the steps, a glass of kiwi juice in his paws, and watched the giggling children playing outside. Levy sat next to him and sighed, rubbing her tummy absently. It had become a habit; whenever her injury had started to hurt, she had reacted by pressing a hand to it and rubbing until the pain went away. Pantherlily had helped by laying on her stomach and purring; it had eased the pain and helped her relax. The black exceed noticed her action and set his kiwi juice down, crawling into her lap and sitting down. He started to purr, and Levy relaxed, scratching his head with her fingers.  
"Thank you, 'Lily." She murmured, sliding her arms around him and hugging him close. He chuckled quietly and continued to watch the kids playing, but she knew his tough-guy act was only that-an act. Natsu plopped down beside her and watched his 'little dragons', as he liked to call them, playing, and sighed.  
"I'm excited to go back."  
"Mmm. Me too. I'm a bit nervous, I guess, and a little scared, but I can't wait to see how much has changed."  
"I'm sure it's still the same old town it was when we left."  
"I know. That's why I'm excited." Behind them, Lucy walked out, carrying a suitcase in one hand and her purse with the other. Loki followed, a bag in each hand and Levy's bag balanced perfectly on his head. She laughed and stood, taking it from him, while Natsu took the suitcase that Lucy was holding. The celestial turned back to lock the door while Natsu called to the girls. Corin waddled over to Levy, who picked him up. Pantherlily jumped down and let Serekia pick him up. He looked like a very contented cat, and Levy laughed at him. He gave her a goofy grin and snuggled up happily in the seven-year-old's arms. Natsu took Morani's hand, and the little girl grabbed Lucy's hand in turn. Loki wrapped an arm around Ultia's shoulders, the young dual mage having taken her own suitcase from the spirit. Levy sighed at her makeshift family, then walked over to Loki's other side and took his arm. The lion Zodiac cast her a warm glance and made a face at Corin. The toddler giggled and hiccupped as the group began to walk.  
Levy mulled over her thoughts during the rather short walk to the train station. Natsu looked at the rumbling engines with a look of sheer horror, while Lucy looked at him with concern. The girls pulled at their parents' hands, trying to get them to board, while Loki carried the luggage inside and put in the racks above the train. He came back out onto the platform and lifted Morani and Serekia up onto his shoulders. Pantherlily flew over to Levy and balanced neatly on her back. Corin babbled as he reached towards the train. Levy indulged her two-year-old companion and walked into the doorway of the traincar, looking back at her friends. Loki had preceded her inside with the girls.  
"Well, are you coming?" She teased. Natsu shuddered and boarded the train gingerly. Lucy sat down on one of the benches and motioned for Natsu to sit in front of her. He did so gladly and rested his head in her lap while she stroked his head soothingly. Loki sat down with Levy, across from them, and Ultia sat down on the Zodiac's other side with Corin in her lap. Levy watched her friends sadly, their sweet actions bringing unbidden memories of her running her fingers through black unruly hair into her mind. She quickly shoved them from her head and heard a groan from beside her. Glancing at the lion Zodiac, she noticed that he looked a bit pale, a little discomforted, and more than a little green.  
"Uhm…Loki?"  
"Hmmmm….?"  
"Do you get motion sickness too?"  
"I guess. I've never been on a train before."  
Levy reached up, cupping the far side of his head in her hand and scratching gently. He emitted a very catty purr and his face blushed a furious shade of red. Lucy giggled at him and earned a playful glare. The Zodiac went to poke her, but apparently he moved too quickly. His face blanched and turned a bit green. Levy squeaked and ran her fingers through his hair, rubbing his cat ears. He purred and some of the greenness left his face. Levy laid her hand across the side of his neck and pulled him down into her lap.  
"Le-Levy?!" He stammered. She ignored his protests and embarrassment and locked eyes with Ultia, who shrugged and moved to the other bench, where her sisters were excitedly watching the scenery fly by. Corin had fallen asleep a little while after they left the station, and Pantherlily was happily keeping watch over the sleeping toddler.  
Levy looked down at Loki, who was starting to fall asleep, and brushed her fingers over his ears. She removed his glasses from his face and smiled when he purred softly, which served to ease Levy's nerves and calm the other children, who made themselves comfortable and fell asleep. Natsu watched her fingers run through Loki's hair through slitted eyes before he, too, fell asleep.

**Aww, such dorks! Aren't they just the cutest little group?**

**Sorry if Loki is a bit non-canon here, I thought it would be sweet. He gave up on Lucy as soon as she and Natsu got married.**

**Next comes my very favorite part; girly chat!**


	5. Chapter 5

Levy chatted with Lucy while their family slept, mostly about what they would do when they arrived in Magnolia.  
"I'm so excited, Lu! I want to go to the Heart Kreuz store while we're there."  
"Me too, Levy. I want to go to the little sweet shop. The one down the alleyway behind the guild hall."  
"Oh, I remember that place! Jet brought me a bag of sweet drops from there, and Droy tried to get me to share. I ended up sharing them with Gajeel and Mirajane." She smiled fondly at the memory. "Lucy?"  
Her friend had closed her eyes and leaned back, but opened her brown orbs to look at her companion.  
"Hm?"  
"I want to visit the cemetery."  
"Levy, is that such a good idea?"  
"I need to see them. I miss them and it's been three years. It's part of the reason I wanted to come here."  
"What's the other reason?"  
"I want to see the guild. And I want to talk to Gajeel."  
"What?"  
"Wha? Why?" Natsu grumbled sleepily, waking up a bit. Loki stirred in Levy's lap and opened his eyes, focusing blurrily on her face. She ran her fingers through his hair soothingly.  
"I want to know why he did it. And I want to see if Phantom Lord is using our hall or not." Natsu frowned at her, but his motion sickness prevented him from commenting further.  
"Levy, why would you want to talk to him? He tried to kill you."  
"I want to know why. The Gajeel I knew wouldn't have done that without good reason." She countered sharply. Natsu gently placed a hand on Lucy's knee and looked up at her. She sighed and gave in.  
"Fine. But I think at least one of us should go with you."  
"Okay. I want Loki to come." The Zodiac protested quietly from beneath her hand and she rubbed his ears, effectively silencing him. Lucy and Natsu shared another look, but agreed. Loki grabbed one of her hands and kissed her knuckles gently.  
"I'd be honored to accompany you, Levy." He murmured, staring up at her with narrowed forest-green eyes. She grinned at him and he smirked back. She glanced up at Lucy and found the celestial mage giving her a sly look.  
"Somebody likes somebodyyyy!" She sang softly, teasing. Both Levy and Loki gave her glares and she snickered at them.

The train whistle sounded, signaling that they were stopping for supplies before continuing through the night. They would reach Magnolia by midday tomorrow. The boys went back to sleep-or so the girls thought-shortly after the train started moving again, and Lucy started to talk again.

"So, Levy."  
"Hm?"  
"Can I ask you something that might be a bit painful?"  
"Sure. I trust you."  
"What was it like when Gajeel tried to kill you?"  
"The first or second time?"  
"Second."  
"Well, to be perfectly honest, it hurt like hell. In both meanings of the phrase. Are you asking physically or emotionally?"  
"Mainly emotionally."  
"I thought so. Well, I guess the easiest way to put it would be it hurt. It felt like I was getting my heart ripped out and beaten and shattered. I was ready to die because he was almost dead to me; he came right up to me. He was less than a foot away from me, Lucy. He told me that Jet and Droy weren't a planned murder, that they were just collateral damage. They wouldn't have died if they had been anywhere else but there. But then…I would be dead if they hadn't been there." She paused and stroked her fingers absently over the scar on her tummy, the other hand rubbing Loki's ears, composing her thoughts before continuing.  
"He didn't say what I expected. I guess I was being a bit of a romantic, but I had expected him to at least apologize or say goodbye before he stabbed me. I was expecting him to do something he doesn't normally do; at least, not what _my_ Gajeel would do." She glanced down at Loki and noticed he was watching her intently, a warm look in his green eyes. She brushed her fingers over his ear and listened to his purr for a moment, then returned her attention to Lucy.  
"I locked eyes with him, and…I didn't see what I thought I would see."  
"Was he angry?"  
"The thing is, I know him when he's angry, when he's fighting. He gets defensive and broody and dark, but his eyes would never change. He was perfectly in control of his emotions when he fought. And…I didn't see that when I looked at him. He looked like an animal, and he fought like an animal. I couldn't see the whites of his eyes. It scared and shocked me, and I wanted to cry. But I…I guess he saw something in my face, because somehow he was back to normal for a moment. Just a moment-long enough that I saw the disbelief and pain before he was gone again. He just…changed. He wasn't the Gajeel I knew; he wasn't the man I loved. He was a monster. Whatever he was in Phantom Lord was back, and it was in control then more than ever." She looked at Lucy, who gave her a look of concern. Loki grasped her hand tightly and Levy sighed.

"But…even if it isn't him, I know Gajeel is in there somewhere. He won't give up without a fight, and I just hope he wins."

The train whistle sounded loudly, and the two women noticed thin rays of light peeking through the windows. Without realizing, they'd talked through the night and into the morning. Lucy yawned and leaned her head back against the seat. The girls would be up soon, unfortunately, so Lucy wanted to get as much sleep as she could. Levy sighed, not in the least bit tired, and shifted Loki so she could look out the window. The lion sighed and drew Levy's attention. She glanced down at him to find the Zodiac watching her. "You're very pretty when you're thinking." He murmured. Levy blushed a rosy pink and her lips twitched up in a semblance of a smile.

"Thank you." She replied, stroking his head affectionately. He closed his eyes and purred for a moment, then reopened them and asked,  
"Miss Levy, while everyone is still sleeping, and only if you don't mind, would you tell me about Gajeel? I never got to know him very well before now, and if I'm to accompany you, I'd like to know a bit about him so I know what to expect." He said this quickly, and was a bit green again by the end. Levy brushed his cheek with the back of her hand and sighed.  
"I wouldn't mind at all." She whispered. Thinking of him was hard at first, and painful, but she found a lot of memories that she had missed.  
"Gajeel is a stubborn fighter, and an even more stubborn man. He doesn't like to lose-but does anyone really _like_ to lose?-and when he does, he retreats into his shell and doesn't like to come out. Pantherlily and I were the only two that could persuade him to get over it, and while 'Lily was good at it, I was apparently much better.  
"Gajeel preferred to sing whenever he thought he could, which was always. As he progressed further into his state of depression and recession, he sang much less and much quieter. I missed it. Everyone else had always said he was a horrible singer, and I went along with it until I caught him singing-really singing-when we were on a mission. His voice is really very good; he just sang like he did to annoy people. He didn't sing like that again until he left the guild. I caught him that time as well, but didn't expect him to be singing one of my favorite songs." She stopped and recalled the memory, and realized that she didn't hear his voice anymore. She just saw him, being himself for once and not giving a shit to anyone else's thoughts. Realizing that she did have an audience, she continued.  
"He was reclusive, but only when he felt he was being pressured and when he was surrounded by people he didn't particularly like or know, and he preferred to stick to the sides of the room. He loved to tease me and Lucy about performing on stage with him, and we ended up many times in bunny costumes, which is where Lucy got her nickname 'Bunny Girl'; she was really very pretty when she wore it; the costume suited her much better than it did me." She paused and brushed a tear away from her face. "Gajeel loved his iron. He would eat anything and everything iron he could find, which caused quite a problem with Mirajane. She was forced to go out and buy new silverware every few weeks, and she finally went into demon mode on him. He was as scared of her as he was of Erza then.  
"He also loved to fight, as you know. He almost never lost, and when he did, he wasn't one to just let it go. He'd get stronger and stronger after his initial brooding, and force the poor soul into a rematch. It often ended badly. He wasn't one of the mages that just beat the other, fair and square and call it quits. He pounded his opponents into the ground. It's what made him so formidable in Phantom Lord, and it was part of the reason Master Jose recruited him to begin with. He was almost unstoppable, but as Natsu proved, he can be beaten."

She stopped and wiped her eyes, sniffling. Loki, embarrassed to have made her cry, sat up gingerly and-when the room didn't start to spin-pulled her into a hug. She buried her face into his shoulder and cried, clutching his biceps tightly.

He just took it, the full brunt of her pain, and he channeled the emotion into love; for her, for Lucy and the girls, even a bit for Natsu. He channeled just a bit more into rage.

He couldn't wait to meet Gajeel. Or Kurogane, as Levy pressed.

Patiently, he held her until she fell asleep, then watched her intently, ready to ease any nightmares he may have caused by asking her to remember Gajeel Redfox. A few hours later, he glanced out the window and saw the flags above the trees, the sparkling dome of the guild hall. He roused Levy, who had nestled into his chest in her slumber. She rubbed her eyes blearily, then realized exactly where she was and blushed a furious scarlet. He grinned and released her as the rest of the group began to stir. Corin was the first fully awake, and he crawled into Levy's lap and looked out the window, babbling happily. The train whistle piped five short, shrill notes, signaling that they were pulling into the station. Loki and Natsu sat back until the train had completely stopped, while Levy, Lucy and the girls set about gathering their luggage. When the train finally ceased to move, Loki stood. He found that he could withstand the train so long as it wasn't actually moving; it could be running and still not bother him, unlike Natsu, who Lucy had to help off the train. The fire mage plopped dizzily onto the ground a few feet away and regained his balance and control of his stomach. Loki and Levy grabbed the luggage and walked outside, taking in the crisp spring air that permeated the town. Pantherlily followed in the air, staying very close to Levy.  
Loki glanced about and saw the trees, heavy with blossoms, and just a little ways outside of the train station, and led the group out. The children eagerly set out exploring, Ultia holding tightly to her baby brother's hand, while the adults sat down under the trees, Lucy and Natsu on one of the roots, Levy on a branch, 'Lily in her lap, and Loki standing guard under Levy's branch. He plucked a flower off of the tree and tucked it into the slightly wilting bunch that adorned Levy's headband. She blushed and glanced in surprise at him, and was about to say something when the kids came barreling under the roots, playing tag. Lucy swept Corin up and hugged him tightly, kissing his nose.

Natsu looked a bit left out, that is, until Lucy noticed and kissed him lightly. He grinned and wrapped an arm around her waist, sending a smug look at Loki, who glared back.

"So, Levy! What would you like to do first?" Lucy asked, leaning into Natsu's side and smiling at her friend. Levy smiled back and said,  
"I could really use something to eat."  
"Yes! Me too!" Ultia squealed.  
"Me three!" Morani echoed.  
"I'm _starving_!" Ekie whined.  
"Hungry!" Corin burbled.  
"All right! Can we go see what there is in town?" All of the children echoed their father's statement and turned pleading eyes to their mother and aunt, who shared a glance and agreed. "But only after we drop our bags off at the hotel!" She looked at Levy and smiled. "We'll take the bags and stuff to the hotel and meet you and Loki at Lucky Star, okay?" Levy blinked in surprise, but agreed. The girls squealed in excitement while Corin giggled happily. Natsu jumped down off the root and took his laughing child, then helped Lucy slide to the ground. Levy started to retract her legs to slip down, but Loki stopped her and tugged her down until she was seated on his shoulder. She blushed as his arm looped over her waist securely and tightly, and she placed one hand on his arm to steady herself as he began to walk.  
"So how does it feel to be back here?" He asked, glancing up at her. She sighed and looked around.  
"It feels amazing; like coming home after being away for a long time. How about you?" She replied.  
"It's not bad to be back, but Magnolia holds a few memories I'm not proud of." He frowned, glaring down at the ground. Levy blinked, realizing that this wasn't just a happy place for everyone. She set her other hand in her lap and felt something in the pocket of her dress. Sliding her hand into the pocket, her fingers met glasses. She pulled them out and found herself looking at Loki's glasses.  
"Hey, Loki, do you want your glasses back?"  
"Hm? Oh, not really. You can wear them; they're more sunglasses than actual glasses, but they'll fix your vision." He replied, sounding a bit preoccupied.  
"Okay, I'll try them on." She slid his glasses into her nose and glanced around. "Oh! I can see perfectly! This is amazing!" She gasped, looking around excitedly. Loki chuckled and glanced up at her.

She was truly smiling, such a rare occurrence these past few years, and he had to admit, she looked very beautiful. His glasses were perched neatly on the bridge of her nose and they had changed color to a very deep blue. He wasn't surprised. If someone he trusted wore them, they would change to suit that person's soul. And he trusted Levy very much. Pantherlily landed in her lap and sat down, and Levy's hand immediately started to rub his head, over the exceed's ears, eliciting a very contented purr. Loki was insanely jealous of the little cat, who was getting more attention than he was.  
"There it is!" Levy breathed, sliding his glasses up onto the top of her head. Loki stopped and turned to see what she was looking at. He too, breathed out a low hum. The guild stood before them, sparkling in all its glory. It was the same as they'd left it. Loki crouched down and let Levy slip off his shoulder. She stepped forward and bent down to brush her fingers across the ground directly in front of the steps leading to the double oak doors. He leaned forward curiously and growing there on the ground, despite the cobblestones, was a water lotus, resting in a puddle of water. The blossom was absolutely breathtaking, a brilliant shade of blue. The Zodiac couldn't remember ever, _ever_ seeing a lotus that color, and silently agreed with Levy when she spoke. "This…This is where Juvia died." She whispered, fingering the blossom. Its tendrils stretched out to her and one wrapped around her finger. She smiled again, tenderly, and lifted the blossom up out of the water, cupping it in her hands. The puddle dried up instantly, but the flower remained a bright, radiant blue. Levy stood to her full height and started to walk briskly away, Pantherlily quickly following. Loki watched her for a moment, then glanced at the guild before walking after her.  
She knew he was following her. She was well aware of it. Pantherlily had jumped up onto her shoulder and settled himself there, watching the people that passed by. They looked curiously at her, and one young man had demanded why she moved the flower and how she had done it.  
"It was from one of my friends."  
"It was from a guild mage!"  
"Juvia Lockser was one of my friends."  
"But only someone from the guild could possibly pick it up!"  
"I am from the guild."  
"Impossible! They all died three years ago!" In return to his harsh statement, Levy turned and flipped her hair over her right shoulder, exposing her white guild mark on her shoulderblade. She turned back to face him and the young man had blanched a white that rivaled ghostly.  
"My name is Levy McGarden, and I am a Solid Script mage from Fairy Tail. Now please, move aside." She stated coldly. The young man jumped out of her way and she started to walk again. Loki, who had seen the young man's confrontation, glared at him as he stalked by. The embarrassed citizen backed away upon seeing his cat ears and quickly walked the opposite direction. Loki returned his gaze to Levy and wondered, _where on earth is she going?_

**If you managed to figure out the answer to Loki's question, kudos to you! **

**As for Levy's little explanation of our favorite Iron Dragon Slayer, I changed him just a bit.**

**He sang loudly and badly to annoy people, but I think he would actually have a really good voice if he was being really serious about it.**

**the next chapter is one of the sad parts! And we might just meet our Iron mage again, you'll have to read for yourself!**


	6. Chapter 6

Levy stopped before a gate on the edge of Magnolia and glanced up at the hill that resided beyond. Pantherlily morphed into his larger form and opened the gate for her, holding it open so she could walk under his arm. She made her way past the headstones of the town citizens to the top of the hill, where the monolith resided. She stepped onto the perfectly smooth plane of rock that held the stones that marked her friends' graves. She read each one carefully, but did not stop before reaching the grave that lay a few away from the end of the line. She read it quietly and a tear rolled down her cheek.

**Gray Fullbuster**

**Beloved friend, ally, and father**

**Anger and revenge are only the most foolish and weak of feelings; Love and hope prevail over all.**

She crouched down before his stone and watched the pool of water appear. It shaped into a bowl-like form, and she placed the lotus gently in it. The flower's tendrils unfurled gracefully and stretched out to the edges of the bowl. Levy sighed and brushed the azure petals with her hand, then stood and glanced at the headstone in the very center.

**Master Makarov**

**The greatest guild master, friend, and grandfather Fairy Tail has ever had before and will ever have again.**

**In courage there is nothing like fear. Only the will to do what is right, what is just, will defeat the darkness.**

She traced the letters and sighed. "Rest well, Master." She whispered.

She turned away from the headstones to find Loki and Pantherlily waiting for her. 'Lily had returned to his smaller form and she picked him up. He wrapped his paws as far around her middle as he could and she hugged him to her tightly. She felt Loki's arms around her from the side and buried her face in his chest, tears streaming down her face. She made no sound except for a quiet gasping.  
When her tears had subsided, he released her and walked to Makarov's headstone. He laid a hand on the warm granite and closed his eyes.

_Thank you, Master Makarov. I owe you everything._

He turned back to Levy to find her watching him with those huge doe-like eyes, mournful and soft. "Come on," he murmured, looking at the blue sky, "It's time to go and meet Lucy and Natsu at Lucky Star." She nodded and took his hand, clutching it tightly. He squeezed back reassuringly and led the way back out into the city.

He couldn't believe it. Natsu Dragneel had returned to Magnolia. With Lucy Heartfilia. And their four children. He squinted at them from his perch on a rooftop and noticed that the eldest looked nothing like the rest. She had raven-black hair and was thin and lanky. She turned to say something to her sister behind her, which gave him full view of her face, and he recoiled. She was the spitting image of Gray Fullbuster. The voice hissed low in his mind as it sensed his intention to drop down and cut her head off.

_Remember, Kurogane. Dragneel and Heartfilia are no longer members of Fairy Tail, and their children bear no semblance to the name. This young Fullbuster, she too is not in the guild. Do you not remember her from that night three years ago?_

He focused on the memory and there she was, just a scared little thing, six years of age, and definitely not in the guild.

He followed Lucy's movements closely, but now out of curiosity instead of murderous intent. She tucked her hand into Natsu's elbow and smiled at him. The little boy waddled up to them and Natsu swept him up, making a face at the toddler, who giggled. The two middle sisters, the blonde and the ginger-headed girl, grabbed both of the Fullbuster girl's hands and the three walked down the street in a cute little line. Passerby smiled at them and laughed at their little actions. He found himself smirking at them; they really were a picturesque little group, and he was beginning to feel a bit envious of Natsu.  
The girls suddenly paused, and the ginger-haired one shrieked. She let go of her sister's hand and ran forward. Lucy called out a halfhearted warning, snuggling into her husband's arm. Natsu yelled something out in greeting to someone, and Gajeel turned his attention to the approaching people. He saw Loki, the annoying Zodiac spirit, with the ginger girl on his shoulders, laughing and swinging her around. Walking at his side was Pantherlily. Gajeel tensed, his eyes glued to the black exceed. Bad memories surfaced.  
The little cat turned to talk to a girl next to him and Gajeel followed his gaze. His eyes landed on petite tan boots that encased slim ankles. He followed those slim ankles to sleek legs that ended under a short orange dress. A flowery pattern danced up the skirt and bodice. Tiny, pretty hands were clasped in front of her waist. He glanced up at her face and his heart stopped.

"Levy…?"

She was watching the ginger-haired girl laugh, big hazel eyes sparkling. Her hair was still the same blue, as bright as the sky sometimes. An orange headband sat in her hair to hold it back, a few wilted white flowers woven into it. A fresh hibiscus was tucked into the rest, its brilliant white petals outshining the wilted petals of the other flowers.  
The little boy waddled to her and leaned against her legs, gurgling happily. She picked him up and cuddled him close, but he saw that she didn't smile. He frowned. She was supposed to smile; it made her even more beautiful.

He considered jumping down and talking to her.

Probably a bad idea. Natsu would kill him.

So would Loki. Lucy too.

It isn't her, he reasoned. She died three years ago, he made sure of it. And yet…__

What is it, boy? What has you so…confused?

Master Jose hissed. He flinched. "Nothing."

_Ah, I see. So a Fairy Tail mage still lives. She survived me three years ago, yes?_

"Leave her be. She isn't in Fairy Tail anymore. The guild disbanded, remember?"

_She has the guild mark tattooed on her back, does she not? She is still part of Fairy Tail._

"She is weak now. She can't fight anymore."

_Oh? And how do you know this?_

He glanced down at the girl. "I don't even think that's her. She's probably a wannabe mage and besides, that girl doesn't smile at all. She can't possibly be McGarden."

_Fine, _Jose hissed, _then I will let her live. For now. Let's go back to Phantom Lord.  
_  
He stood, casting a shadow over her. She whirled to look at him, but he ran before she could see him, opting to drop into the alley that ran beside the building he was standing on. He turned his back on the sunlit avenue she was standing in, pushing her out of his head, and darted through the shadows back to Phantom Lord.

He was Kurogane. He didn't need to worry over a stupid little bluenette. He didn't know her. She's a stupid tourist that just happened to meet Salamander and Bunny Girl-

He stopped. He hadn't called them that in over three years.

Anger seeped into him, cold and sharp. They're worthless names. Stupid titles.

He jumped up onto a rooftop and heard several satisfying shrieks of fear. The people here knew him as Kurogane. He is Kurogane. He doesn't feel any emotion except anger.

He laughed.

Fools. They would learn to fear him, just as the townspeople had.

And the blue-haired girl.

He would visit her later.

**And tall, dark, and handsome makes his appearance!**

**What will happen next?**

**Stay tuned to find out, and follow me for other FT stories and drabbles, and check out my other stories as well!**


	7. Chapter 7

Levy knew it was him. She had been holding Corin when the shadow had fallen over her, and when she had whirled to see what it was, she only saw a dark figure disappear behind the building. Natsu and Lucy reached them and found Loki watching the streets warily, Morani clutching his hand tightly. Pantherlily as well was looking around, and his fur was standing on end.  
"What's the matter, guys?"  
"It was him. He was watching us just now."  
"Who was?"  
"Kurogane."  
"He wasn't causing any trouble, guys. Calm down." Levy frowned at the two, who glanced at each other and sighed. Ultia walked forward and took Corin from Levy, seeing that her brother was beginning to yawn. Morani grabbed Serekia's hand and released Loki's.  
Lucy noticed that Corin was starting to fall asleep and announced that she was taking him back to the inn to let him nap. The girls begged their mother to let them go to the market and shop, and Lucy agreed-only if their father would go with them. They swarmed Natsu, who sighed and agreed, earning a chorus of squeals from the girls. They dragged their father away towards the market while Lucy took Corin back to the inn. Levy glanced at her two cat companions and sighed.  
"Let's go and see if Romeo and Wendy are still here."  
"Fine."  
"Does the market sell kiwi?"  
"Maybe. We'll check tomorrow. On second thought, we'll visit Wendy and Romeo tomorrow, too. It's starting to get dark."  
She glanced at the darkening sky, then started to walk towards the inn, Pantherlily and Loki following close behind.

Jose was angry. Very, very angry. How is it that his strongest fighter, his Kurogane, had still failed to kill Levy McGarden three years ago? Impossible. And yet, his warrior assured him that this tiny, frail little scrap of a girl was not the Solid Script mage. He frowned at the warrior, bent over in pain.  
The spell was weakening. He would have to reinforce it soon. Gajeel Redfox's will was extremely strong, and after seeing this girl that looks so much like his little Levy, the Iron Dragon mage had redoubled his efforts to break the spell. Jose chuckled as he watched the younger mage's efforts to stop the voices screaming in his head.

Redfox was strong, much stronger than he'd expected. But he was also extremely susceptible to feelings. Pain, anguish, and longing were only three of the emotions that helped Jose gain a foothold over Jose's warrior. The Phantom Lord master frowned.

Maybe the death of a certain mage would send Gajeel Redfox hurtling out of his mind, leaving Jose free to control, free to create Kurogane again, a monster to obey Jose's every command. He snapped his fingers. Aria, Boze, and Sue materialized from the shadows. The shorter green-haired Mirror mage glanced quickly at her former teammate, fear emanating from her when he snarled viciously and pounded at the ground. She snapped to attention when Jose spoke.

"Aria, I want you to find the girl that looks like Levy McGarden and bring her to me. Boze, the Lion spirit. Use your magics to keep him from reentering the spirit world. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master!" they chorused. He nodded.  
"Good. Sue." He addressed the Mirror mage, who stiffened. "I want you to capture the black exceed that accompanied Redfox."  
"As you wish, Master Jose." He dismissed them, and they began to melt back into the shadows. His warrior roared angrily and glared at Boze, who recoiled in fear.  
"Don't you fucking _dare _touch her. I'll rip your head off your shoulders." He growled. His threat was accompanied by a glare. If looks could kill, they would all have been dead. Jose especially would've been dead twenty times over. The master just looked at the fuming dragon mage quietly and simply snorted.

"Go on, then," he addressed the three mages, "Find them!" They disappeared into the darkness and Redfox let out an ear-piercing roar of anger.  
"LEVY!" He yowled. Jose chuckled and stood, seeming to almost float as he walked over to the pained warrior.  
"Levy," he hissed, reaching down and grabbing his face, tilting it up to look him in the eyes, "Levy McGarden is dead."  
The iron mage's red eyes narrowed.  
"You liar. She's alive."  
"She won't be for long."  
"Don't fucking touch her!" Jose snickered darkly and released his chin, only to jab the side of his neck with one clawed finger. The black-haired man convulsed in agony and dropped to the ground, curled into a ball. He snarled and groaned and clawed at his head. Jose only smirked at him, kicked him in the side painfully, and walked away, the shadows swallowing him up.

Soon, this whole McGarden problem would be behind him.

And Gajeel Redfox would cease to exist, leaving Kurogane free to obey Jose's every command without problem.

He would be unstoppable. Phantom Lord would rule as the superior guild.


	8. Chapter 8

_This isn't me._

He could hear Jose laughing, and it made him sick. His side pulsed painfully in time with his heartbeat and he resisted the urge to groan. Bastard Jose, kicking him in the ribs. At least one was broken and several were bruised, he guessed. Every breath he took sounded like the beginning of a death rattle, but he still managed to take another breath and keep going. Stupid body didn't know when to give up. He snarled at the pain in his head. Whatever magic Jose had used on him was making his head feel as if it were splitting open. But the problem was, it only happened when he was thinking of Levy. And he thought of her often, since he saw her in the marketplace with Loki and Pantherlily. So his head was virtually pounding nonstop.  
He couldn't bring himself to complain or resent it though. Levy was alive and from the look of her, doing okay. She had Lucy and Natsu and Loki, as well as Pantherlily to keep her safe.  
He only had one problem with her. She was here, in Magnolia. Within the same city as him, and she was poking her pretty little nose where it didn't belong. She was already catching Jose's attention, so she was in danger. She was also tending to walk alone. That was a very bad combination. He wasn't sure how long she would be here, but he _was _sure that she would be getting into trouble very soon.

And he was sure that he'd be in it somehow.  
He wanted the rest of her time in Magnolia to be nice. Not dangerous.

Jose reappeared and lifted him into the air effortlessly. "They've brought the girl here. Sue found your exceed, and he put up quite the fight. Boze found the Lion Zodiac, and Aria has brought your lovely Levy McGarden here to visit. Don't you want to see her, Kurogane?"

He felt it; that twitch of anger that prefaced his insanity attacks. He gritted his teeth to avoid screaming in pain as the dark and violent side of him surfaced and took over. It was as if he was watching through veiled eyes.  
"Do you want to say hello, Kurogane?"  
"Absolutely." He hissed, breaking into a grin. Jose smirked and set him down on his feet. The Phantom Lord master patted his head and he _purred_. What the hell? The master turned away and he followed, narrowing his eyes as he walked through the shadows. He was getting better at traveling through the shadows with magic; the first few times he had ended up across town, but he'd steadily been improving, and Master Jose was proud of him.

_Please, please, get this monster out of my head, somebody, anybody._

He returned his attention to the room before him as Jose stepped forward and started to talk to her. He couldn't do this. He threw himself at the mental walls the monster had constructed, stopping his dark self from revealing himself. It dropped like a rock and snarled, and faintly he heard Levy gasp. Jose said something, but he ignored him and fought with his sanity over control. Jose reappeared in front of him and picked him up by the throat. The taller man glared at him angrily, then his face morphed into a smile. "Kurogane," he hissed, "Levy has a friend here you might know. Fetch me the little Fullbuster girl from the marketplace and bring her here _unharmed_, understand?"  
Gajeel felt his slight control slipping and answered happily. He growled and felt the monster snarl back. Jose set him down and patted his head. The guild master turned around after telling him, "Good boy, Kurogane."  
_  
I ain't a stupid pet, you bastard._ He glared at the guild master's broad back.

_I'm Gajeel Redfox, and you've got my girl. You hurt my friend, you captured Levy, and you managed to turn Loki into a cat._

_You're fucked._

**And Gajeel is back! Have fun with the next chapter, guys-it gets a bit dangerous.**


	9. Chapter 9

Levy wasn't aware that she was being followed in the marketplace until someone grabbed her from behind, clamping a hand over her mouth and dragging her back. A harsh but familiar voice sounded in her ear.  
"So sad that you are unaware…" Aria said, snickering as she struggled. Suddenly she was whisked away from the marketplace, away from Loki and Pantherlily. She free herself-rather, he released her, and she found herself in a dark room. The only source of light was a very small window that looked high above her. It cast a poor, tiny stream of light down directly over her head, making her white top glow softly with the reflected light.  
"Well, well." Chuckled a voice she had thought to never hear again. "Look who managed to survive." Jose materialized out of the shadows a few feet away and she attempted to recoil, but found herself unable to move. Looking at her feet, she noticed that a simple magic had been cast to render her limbs frozen. Jose circled her, and she repressed the urge to shudder. "You've recovered well." He commented, brushing cold fingers down her shoulderblades. A low snarl sounded from a corner and she gasped. Jose simply smirked as he came to face her again. "I believe you know this monster. You did create him after all." She frowned, but kept herself from asking. He turned to face the source of the snarling and beckoned. Whatever it was in the shadows shifted and rose, but stayed where it was. She heard shuffling feet from behind her and turned her head. Sue and Boze were approaching from behind her, but it was what the Mirror mage was carrying that had her attention.  
"Pantherlily!" She cried, struggling to move her body. The tiny black exceed had cuts and scrapes covering his entire frame, and his breathing was extremely shallow. Jose snapped his fingers and melted into the shadows as Sue approached. Levy found that she could move her upper body. She twisted around and reached for 'Lily. Sue handed him over-much more gently than Levy expected-and turned away.  
"I'm sorry," she whispered, glancing back at Levy over her shoulder, "He put up quite the fight and I almost lost." She melted back into the darkness, no doubt to watch, and Levy turned her attention to Boze, who had managed to somehow capture Loki by changing him into a cat. The Music mage set the ginger-furred cat down and Loki whirled, scratching the mage's legs. Boze quickly disappeared into the shadows with a yelp of pain. Loki turned around and stalked over to her, seating himself directly in front of her feet. Jose again materialized from the shadows, this time carrying a very small figure. He dropped the figure to the ground and Loki hissed as it stood, the hair on his back standing upright. Ultia Lynn Fullbuster scrambled to her feet and darted towards Levy, only to be stopped and lifted into the air by the back of her collar by a much taller figure still mostly ensconced in shadow. All Levy could see was a rough, calloused hand, a fingerless glove covering the hand and wrist, ending in a studded bracelet. She gasped.  
"No." She whispered, one hand flying to her mouth while the other held Pantherlily close to her. Jose stepped to the side and the figure took a single step forward, into the low light. "Gajeel?"  
He looked terrible, but the feverish gleam in his eyes warned her otherwise. Cuts and scrapes, bruises and blood covered nearly every inch of him. His wild black hair was matted in huge knots and clumps and his clothes were horribly worn and ripped. Several of the metal studs that decorated his skin were missing, open holes oozing blood on his arms and face. Levy blinked back tears. "Gajeel, what happened to you?"  
"I ain't Gajeel, girl." He rasped, shaking Ultia roughly. "I'm Kurogane." She gasped and Ultia started to cry.  
"Please, please, mister!" She wailed, scratching at his hand. "Let me go! I won't hurt anybody! Aunt Levy!" she turned fearful eyes to the bluenette, "Aunt Levy, tell him to put me down! I'm scared!"  
The bookworm turned to Jose, who stood beside Gajeel. "Tell your _monster_ to put my niece down." She snapped. To her surprise, Jose put a hand on Gajeel's shoulder, and the Iron mage set the girl down on her feet and released her. The raven-haired nine-year-old darted to Levy as soon as she was let go. She wrapped her arms around Levy's waist and the bluenette hugged her niece close. Kurogane laughed darkly, and it sent shivers running down Levy's back. It definitely wasn't the _gihihihi_ that Levy loved so much.  
As he stepped forward, Levy found herself twisting away and shielding Pantherlily and Ultia. Loki growled and launched himself at Kurogane, who simply kicked the ginger cat away. Levy shrieked and fought the holding magic until Gajeel grabbed her by the shoulder and lifted her into the air. Ultia caught Pantherlily as he fell from Levy's grasp and backed away from the Iron mage, her eyes wide with fear but surprisingly not tearful. She clutched the black exceed close and extended a hand towards her aunt and her captor.  
"Ice make: Wave of Blades!" She yelled. An enormous wave appeared, bearing down on Gajeel, full of razor-sharp icicles. They tore into his skin and sent him flying across the room. Levy slid from his grasp and fell on her knees. She found herself able to move again and scurried across the ground to where Loki lay unmoving. She touched his head gently with her hand and breathed a sigh of relief when he shifted and mewed softly in response. One dark green eye flicked open for a moment and focused on her, then slid shut again.  
Behind her, Gajeel snarled as he got to his feet. "Why you little brat…" He hissed, advancing towards the terrified dual mage. Ultia held her hand up again as he started to run at her and yelled, "Water: Shield!" Instantly a massive wall of water rose in front of her, slowing Gajeel's attack. "Freeze!" she screeched. As Gajeel dove at her through the water wall, it froze around him, effectively trapping him. The resulting reflection of light on the ice cast a bright glow throughout the entire room. Jose hissed and shielded his eyes, disappearing with the last of the retreating shadows. Sue, Boze, and Aria flinched away, the latter mage using his Teleportation magic to escape the light. Boze cowered in the corner farthest from the nine-year-old, while Sue watched in fascination. "Ice make: Sword!" she said quietly. The sword formed in her hand and she rested the razor-edged tip on the side of his neck. He froze, but not before the blade had sliced a shallow groove in his skin. A perfectly round drop of blood rolled down his neck and dripped to the floor below him. "Aunt Levy!" she called, "Are you and Loki okay?"  
"Y-Yeah, Ultia. Thank you." Levy replied, picking the Lion spirit up and carrying him with her as she circled the ice wall. Gajeel watched her with an unreadable expression.  
"So…who is he?" Her niece asked. Levy cast a wary glance at the Iron mage, trapped securely in the ice.  
"His name is Gajeel Redfox." She stated simply. Ultia's eyes widened.  
"He's Gajeel? The one you told me about?" Her eyes narrowed. "The one who killed my parents?" She whipped her head to face him, and he flinched as the ice sword dug into his neck, spilling more blood onto the floor.  
"No, Ultia. It wasn't Gajeel who murdered your father and mother; it was the monster guild master, Jose, that forced him to do so. Gajeel isn't to blame for this."  
"But he still killed them!"  
"Ultia, he was forced. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but he was."  
"I'll tell you why," he hissed, craning his neck away from the blade, "Because I've gone fucking crazy. I tried to kill every person that was important to me three years ago, and today, I almost did it again. So go ahead, kid. Do it. Cut my head off, I deserve it." He looked up at Levy, and for a moment she saw the Gajeel she knew.

The next moment, she couldn't see anything.

The tiny window of light had been blocked.

"Finish them."


	10. Chapter 10

Ice shattered, and she felt the fragments hit her face and arms and dig into her skin. "Ice make: Rockets!" Ultia cried.

She dropped to the ground seconds before the sound of flying projectiles whizzed overhead, curling instinctively over Loki. He meowed in annoyance and she felt something sharp pierce her leg. She shrieked in pain.

"Dissolve!" came a faint voice, and she felt Loki tense beneath her. suddenly he was back to his original form and rolled over so their positions were reversed; him shielding her with his body. He thrust something into her hand and she felt the rough point of one of her Script pens dig into her palm. "Use it well." He whispered, and in a flash of light he returned to the spirit world. She gripped the pen tightly and sat up on her knees, shifting the pen so it rested in its proper place.  
"Solid Script: Light!" She yelled. The word appeared, followed by a blindingly bright light. She grasped the word in one hand and shoved it up higher. It cast light down on the entire room, illuminating every shadow within seconds. Jose screeched in pain and fury while Boze hid in the corner, his back to them. Sue stood her ground, a determined look on her face. Levy stood up and balanced on her uninjured leg, looking around. Ultia was standing behind a wall of ice again, Gajeel clawing at it to get to her. "Hey, Kurogane!" Levy called. The Iron mage whipped around and glanced up at the ball of light that had formed and howled in pain, dropping to the ground and clutching at his face. Ultia ran around him and to Levy, who wrote up a portal spell. She shoved the nine-year old into it, knowing that her niece would end up back in Magnolia with her parents and sisters. Pantherlily would also be safer there. Her ball of light dimmed and she watched as Kurogane slowly rose and faced her.  
"You little bitch." He snarled, taking a step forward.  
"Gajeel, I know you're in there somewhere," she pleaded, looking into the wild red eyes she didn't recognize, only remembered. His gaze flickered for a moment, and the Iron mage clutched at his head. He doubled over and dropped to the ground and started to convulse, screaming profanity at the ceiling. Levy cautiously walked over and watched him carefully.  
"AAAHHH SHIT! You goddamn bitch," He yelled, curling into a ball. Levy crouched beside him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.  
"Gajeel?" She asked softly, running her hand over his back soothingly. She ignored the blood and grime that collected under her nails and covered her hand and instead focused on the broken soul in front of her.

He wrenched himself away from her touch and his hand shot out, catching her square in the stomach. Something sharp pierced her side and she fell backwards and curled into a ball, the attack having reopened the wound from three years ago. She clutched at her abdomen and forced herself to relax and stand up. When she did so, she found Gajeel standing unsteadily on his feet, his hand dripping with blood. She stepped forward, but didn't touch him. He recoiled anyways and tried to step back, but she stopped him by grasping the collar of his vest. His entire body shook with tremors and he looked ready to collapse, but his eyes were almost glowing with a feverish anger and he swatted her away again, this time sending her flying backwards. She hit the wall hard and felt her shoulder slip out of place. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and quickly reset her arm, rolling her shoulder a few times to ease a bit of the soreness. "Gajeel, easy. Take it easy." She said soothingly, holding up a hand. He stalked towards her and she glanced around, looking for some sort of weapon or shield, and her eyes fell on her Script pen, not three feet away. She returned her attention to the iron mage approaching her and dove towards her pen as he lunged at her. Her hand closed around the feathery end of the pen and she felt his hand grip her ankle and yank her backwards. She twisted to face him and yelled, "Solid Script: Light!" The blinding light appeared again and Gajeel released her, shielding his eyes from the painful beams. She scrambled to her feet and held up her pen as the beam quickly dissipated. Gajeel recovered quickly and launched himself at her again.  
"Solid Script: Lightning!" The word appeared, crackling with raw energy. She shoved it at him and the strands of pure lightning wrapped around him, constricting his movement and effectively trapping him. "Script: Shadowstorm." A whirling black vortex appeared, the shadows within it hissing and moaning. She took a step back; Shadowstorm was one of the scripts she hadn't used before. It was dangerously unpredictable, and could easily turn on her instead. But she willed it to take whatever was plaguing Gajeel and the other shadows in the room. The moaning and hissing softened to a quiet snarling as it neared Gajeel. He growled and recoiled, but the lightning kept him from moving away. The vortex encompassed him and the snarling turned into wailing. She watched in grim fascination as the shadows pulled another, almost demonic being right from Gajeel's skin. The swirling cloud of shadows then dissipated into thin air, the only evidence of their existence being a lingering shriek from the captured shadow. The lightning bonds around Gajeel crackled into nothing and he staggered forward a few steps, then collapsed. Levy quickly ran to him and put an arm over his shoulders. She whispered soothingly as shivers wracked his body, running her fingers through his matted hair. He shuddered once more and dropped onto his side, his entire body convulsing. His eyes had rolled back into his head. "Gajeel!" She cried, shaking his shoulders. She rolled him onto his back and cupped his face, tears streaming down her cheeks.  
"Stop it! Stop it, please! You'll kill him!" she screamed, trying to stop the awful shuddering and convulsions. When it didn't stop, she resorted to the only thing she thought might still work.

She kissed him.

He stilled, his fingers twitching a tiny bit, just once before they too stilled. She drew back and saw that his eyes were still open, and that they had glazed over. "No, no…" She whispered, one hand flying to her mouth. "No, Gajeel, no!" She cupped the back of his head and lifted his entire torso up, pressing her forehead to his. "You can't die, Gajeel. This isn't fair!" She wailed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "This isn't right! He didn't do anything wrong!"  
She laid him back down on the ground and felt for a pulse.

There was none.

Gajeel Redfox was dead.

**Shit. Well, that was an unexpected little twist.**

**The story isn't over yet, don't freak out!**


	11. Chapter 11

Tears streamed down her face freely now, and she collapsed onto his chest, clutching at the fabric of his vest. "You can't do this, he wasn't to blame…" She whispered, her tears staining his shirt. She continued to sob into him until she felt his chest rise just a bit, and a hand brush against the back of her head. She flinched and sat up straight, looking around wildly for the source. She saw that his hand was still hanging in the air, his eyes were closed, and her heart started to pound a little faster. "Gajeel?" She whispered. His eyes slid open slowly and she found herself gazing into tired red orbs.  
"Hey, shrimp." He rasped. "Don't cry 'bout me." She gasped and threw her arms around his neck. He propped himself up on one elbow and his arm wound itself around her waist and he pulled her close. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed, mumbling softly and hiccupping every few seconds. His entire body shook with laughter and he sat up completely, pulling her seamlessly into his lap. His hand found her chin and he tipped her face up. She sniffled cutely and he smiled, then pressed his mouth to hers. She froze for a moment, then relaxed into him and kissed him back, thoroughly. When he pulled away, she blushed and buried her face into the junction of his shoulder and neck. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against him.

A dark chuckle emanated from the shadows and he stiffened. She pressed herself to him as Jose materialized from the shadows, his eyes darker than ever. He applauded them as he circled. Gajeel followed his every movement and kept Levy tucked against his chest.

"I applaud you, little Levy McGarden. You managed to break my Demon's Curse magic. You really are quite the strong young lady, hm?" He suddenly appeared directly in front of Gajeel and effortlessly plucked the little bluenette from his grasp. She shrieked in pain as Jose held her by her hair. Gajeel roared furiously and lunged at the Phantom Lord master, who simply chuckled and ducked into the shadows, taking Levy with him. She shrieked in fear as pure darkness engulfed her, and Jose's laugh echoed around her. Gajeel's furious cry resounded back and forth, but quickly faded as she felt something twist inside her. Pain erupted from her back, directly between her shoulders, and she screamed. Jose hit her head against a hard surface and threw her away from him. She hit solid ground again and Jose chuckled. She heard scuffling and felt strong arms wrap around her, tucking her close against a warm chest. She curled into his arms and gasped for air. Whatever Jose had done to her had caused fluid to build up in her lungs, and she coughed wetly.  
She felt movement under her and realized that she was being carried. Cool night air kissed her face and stung the wound on her back, but she didn't care. She was safe. Gajeel was safe. It was okay.

She closed her eyes and relaxed into unconsciousness.

**This was short, I know. There's only a few more chapters left, so I want to make it a bit more...engaging.**

**geez, I sound like Erza.**

**Watch for the next update!**


	12. Chapter 12

When she woke, she found herself in a white room. Loki was sitting in a chair by her bedside, his torso slumped forward and his head resting on her stomach gently. She reached out and brushed her fingers over his soft, spiky hair and over the fur of his ears, eliciting a soft purr. She smiled and glanced up. A window was just to her right, behind where Loki was sitting, and through it she could see a brilliant sunset unfolding. She smiled and looked around the room, realizing she and Loki were not alone. Pantherlily was curled up at the foot of her bed, his tail tucked protectively over his nose. She smiled and shifted, nudging him with her foot under the blankets. He snuffled and one eyes cracked open. When he saw her awake, smiling, he jumped up and scrambled over to her. She wrapped him in a hug and felt his little paws around her neck.  
"We were worried about you, so we snuck back in after the nurses left," He whispered conspiratorially. She giggled, but her excitement was short-lived when a soft groan came from her left. She glanced over and found Gajeel on the other bed in the room, sleeping peacefully. She sighed and smiled widely. 'Lily followed her gaze and his little face scrunched into a frown. "We found him too after Natsu caught your scent and the smell of blood, and when Ultia and I suddenly appeared in the inn lobby. He was out cold outside the guild hall." She frowned.  
"I remember someone carrying me out…"  
"Loki did. He beat everyone else to Phantom Lord's hall and managed to react fast enough to catch you when Jose threw you across the room. He brought you here, to Porlyusica." The black exceed explained, his eyes never leaving the iron mage. Levy frowned and sat up gingerly, awakening Loki.  
"Ah! Levy, you shouldn't be up yet!" He protested, jumping up and grasping her shoulders gently. She lifted a hand and pushed his hand away.  
"I'm fine right now, Loki. I feel much better. How long have we been out?"  
"Two days, Levy. We were so worried!" Pantherlily complained, nuzzling into her side. Loki sighed and sat back, running a hand through his hair.  
"We didn't think you'd make it. Lucy was frantic and Natsu had to take her home."  
"Oh, poor Lucy! Is she calmed down a bit?"  
"She will be once she sees you awake and sitting up. She and Natsu are coming back to see you in a few hours. Aquarius and Aries are going to watch the girls and Corin."  
"That's good. They'll take good care of the kids."  
"Yeah, they will."  
"Something bothering you, Loki?" Levy asked, noticing his nervous look and constant running of his hands through his hair.

"Hm? Oh, no. I'm fine. Just tired."  
"Then go back to the spiritual world and rest. I'll be fine here with 'Lily."  
"No."  
"Why not?"  
"I don't like that _he_ is so close to you."  
"He saved my life, Loki. I think I can trust him."  
"Sure about that, shrimp?"

She gasped and whipped around, flinching in pain as her chest twinged. Gajeel was awake and giving her an emotionless look. She smiled.  
"Yes, I'm sure."

He frowned. "Last thing I remember, I was tryin' ta put a blade through that bastard Jose's face."

Loki chuckled. "You most certainly did, Redfox. He's dead." Levy sighed and hugged Pantherlily close, the little exceed offering no complaint. Loki reached out and grabbed her gently, tugging her into his arms. She blushed, but accepted the embrace, laying her head against Loki's chest for a moment. Gajeel watched them emotionlessly, his face unreadable, but Levy would swear that a look of pain and loss crossed his face for the fleetest of moments. He turned his head away and ignored them again, possibly going back to sleep, and she couldn't find it in her heart to blame him. He was probably exhausted; after all, he hadn't really had a good night's rest in over three years. She yawned and Loki helped her lay down again. "Wake me up when Lucy gets here, okay?" She asked. Loki nodded and she let her eyes close gently, the blessed feeling of dreamless sleep overcoming her.


End file.
